Enchanted

If ever a movie delighted me as much as Enchanted did then I would love to remember what it was. The film stars Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and the eccentric Amy Adams in one of the most fun and upbeat movies of the year. The film is set at first in an animation world until the young girl Giselle meets Prince Edward and he declares that they will be married at once. The evil queen, played by Susan Sarandon, sees Giselle as the one who will remove her from her thrown so she sends Giselle, on her wedding day, down a portal to a land where, as she puts it, there are no happily ever afters. That place is of course real world, New York.

Once in the real world Amy Adams desperately tries to return to her own world but of course she is unable to. In New York after a night of horrible mistreatment she meets up with Patrick Dempsey’s character and ends up going with him, him being the only person who has shown her any kindness. The film revolves around these two characters as Giselle waits for Prince Edward, who is meanwhile searching for Giselle in New York alongside a chipmunk and a henchman of the Queen who is devout in making sure Edward and Giselle never find each other.

In a role that could have been played lazily by any actress, Amy Adams beautifully shines as the princess in what is definitely her career defining role. She takes the princess in the real world to a whole new level that makes her so believable as a princess yet you notice her change as she descends further and further into reality. This performance is so well that I in fact agree with the buzz out there and believe that she is up for an Oscar nod, whether she might win or not is up for speculation.

All of the other actors play their parts well alongside Adams and the movie plays out quite well. Another note that was quite interesting in this movie was the music. Alan Menken has been a favorite of mine ever since his work on the Little Mermaid and he does not disappoint here with the few, albeit quite good, songs that are thrown in. One especially that takes place in Central Park brings Enchanted to life in a mere three minutes showing us the magic that Giselle has brought to reality and the contrast between her and Robert (Patrick Dempsey).

Enchanted is a well made movie that unfortunately suffers from an unnecessary CGI ending climax but never fails to entertain. The movie most likely would not have done as well if it weren’t for Amy Adams, who in my mind IS this movie. If it weren’t for those last scenes with the dragon and the rooftop then this movie would have been close to my favorite light-hearted movie of the year, however despite the ending it still finds a place on one of my favorite theater experiences this year. I give it a 4/5.

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